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Cadaver Recovery Procedures for Law Enforcement

NCJ Number
129846
Author(s)
B Tolhurst
Date Published
1990
Length
0 pages
Annotation
The videocassette is designed to teach dog handlers and police departments how to train dogs for land and water searches for cadavers.
Abstract
The videocassette provides training by showing an actual cadaver dog training sequence for both land and water searches. Other subjects covered include what type of dog to train, how to do a puppy aptitude test to find a puppy suited to this task, what to look for in a visual search for a possible burial site, and what to use for scent material when training the dog. Information needed for effective cadaver searching includes why the area is being searched, how big is the search area, letting the dog handler talk to the informant if one is involved, the physical conditions of the area, and weather conditions in the area at the time of crime if known. The video also lists conditions which cause false alerts by the dog. The physical evidence of a burial site involves the status of the vegetation, how compacted the soil is, and whether disturbed soil is present. Information on scent training materials is also provided.